District · Manawatū-Whanganui
Manawatu district in numbers
Manawatu district had an estimated 34,200 people at 30 June 2026, up 3% (1,000 people) since the 2023 Census, 1st of 7 in Manawatū-Whanganui for growth. 24% of its 12,102 households rent, 64% own and 12% hold the home in a family trust (2023 Census).
People, June 2026
34,200
+3% (+1,000) since the 2023 Census
Latest year
+0.6%
+200 people, June 2025 to June 2026
Since 1996
+27.6%
Thirty years of Stats NZ estimates
Median weekly rent, Manawatū-Whanganui
$520
Lower quartile $425, upper $590. 19,806 active bonds. MBIE, July 2026. Regional figure; MBIE does not publish this district on its own
Median full-time earnings, Manawatū-Whanganui
$1,512 a week
June 2026. Regional, not district level
Employment rate, Manawatū-Whanganui
67.9%
Unemployment 4.9%, 2026 Q1. Regional survey estimate
Population, 1996 to 2026
Stats NZ estimated resident population at 30 June. Estimates after 2023 are provisional and built on the 2023 Census. Dark bars: first year, 2023 Census base, latest.
Population by year, 2019 to 2026
| 30 June | People | Change on the year |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 31,500 | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 32,100 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 32,600 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 32,800 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 33,200 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 33,700 | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 34,000 | +0.9% |
| 2026 | 34,200 | +0.6% |
How Manawatu district households hold their homes
- 64% own their home
- 24% rent
- 12% held in a family trust
12,102 households, 2023 Census.
Nearby in Manawatū-Whanganui
Rents and bonds for Manawatū-Whanganui Manawatū-Whanganui in numbers